Chapter 48

Mac made it to Patrick and Robin first and looked over Patrick's shoulder at his unconscious niece. "Patrick! How is she?"

"I don't know Mac – I need to get her to a hospital. How far out is the helicopter?" Patrick barely looked at the approaching people, Robin needed his complete focus.

"It'll be here in just a minute – we had them on standby just in case." Robert knelt down next to Patrick and gently touched his daughter's face. "They need to know where you want to go."

"How close is GH?" Patrick wasn't sure about taking her to a hospital he didn't know. If GH was a close enough flight than he wanted to go there.

"30 minutes from take off." Anna had timed the flight out. "Is that close enough?"

Patrick nodded, never looking away from his fiancée. "I want to ride with her."

Robert was ready for his request. "Of course."

They heard the helicopter landing. Lucky grabbed Jason and headed over to get the medics and a cot. It seemed like only seconds they were back at Robin's side. "Patrick – let them help her."

Patrick stood up and watched helplessly as the medics put Robin on a backboard and did a brief field exam. Within minutes Patrick and Robin were on the helicopter headed back to Port Charles.

Robert watched the copter take and off and turned to his friends. "Okay, they had to have been holed up somewhere close to here. We need to find where they were – there may be something there that will help us figure out exactly where Marcus went."

He led a WSB agent to the bluff and looked over at the dead man lying on the rocks below. "You – take care of him."

Robert walked back over to Anna and took her hand. "Grant is dead."

Anna nodded but was obviously lost in thought. "Does Patrick know?"

Robert sighed. "I think he was so concentrated on Robin he doesn't know the man went over the edge."

"He's not going to take this well." Anna looked at Robert. "He's not like us – no matter who that man was or what he was trying to do, Patrick would never intentionally kill someone."

"And he still didn't." Robert couldn't see what the problem was. "Look, he may have shoved the man but he wasn't trying to hurt him – just get him away from Robin."

"But he is still dead and that shove is the reason why, intentional or not." Anna looked out over the edge. "He is going to feel a tremendous amount of guilt over this and now we have a new problem."

Robert thought about it for a moment. "Oh my God – Marcus. The man was already obsessed with Robin but now…"

"Now it won't be enough to take Robin, he will want to destroy Patrick too. Revenge for his father's death."

Robert pulled out his phone. "Frisco, get guards to General Hospital as soon as possible. Also, have someone get Emma and Noah and take them to GH to be with Patrick. Putnam is dead and Marcus is going to be out for blood."

Tom Hardy was waiting on the roof as soon as the helicopter landed. He ran to the cot and walked by Patrick's side and beginning his exam. "Is she responsive?"

Patrick held Robin's hand as they moved swiftly to the elevator. "No."

They got on the elevator and Patrick finally looked at Tom. "You need to screen for drugs. Dr. Banks apparently is a big believer in Mescaline."

Tom shook his head and made a note on his glove. "Will do."

The doors opened and they flew into the ER. Epiphany was standing by Trauma Room 1 and led the group into the room. "Dr. Drake – you need to leave."

"What! No, Epiphany, I'm not leaving her." Patrick still had Robin's hand in his. "Not now, not ever again."

"Don't argue with Epiphany." Her eyes were shut but Patrick would know that voice anywhere.

"Robin? Hey, you need to open those beautiful brown eyes for me." He gently squeezed her hand. "Please?"

"Oh," she started to open her eyes but quickly shut them again, "I can't – it hurts."

Tom leaned over Robin and began asking her questions. "What hurts Robin?"

"My head – it feels like it is going to explode."

Patrick began to panic – this could be the sign of any number of neurological issues, including a brain bleed. Tom continued his exam. "On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is the pain."

"5 if I keep my eyes closed, 8 if I open them." She still sounded weak. "That could be a side effect of the drugs he was giving me though."

"Do you know what he was giving you?" Patrick was afraid to ask but needed to know.

"Not sure – some sort of tranquilizer I think." Robin squeezed his hand and Patrick relaxed a little – that was a good sign. "This is real right, I'm holding your hand Patrick."

"Yes and Emma is with my dad fishing." Patrick watched as the portable CT was brought into the room. "She was so good – listened to what you said and hid until I came and got her."

"She's okay?" Patrick saw tears falling from the corners of her still closed eyes.

"Of course she is – she's your daughter. She'll be even better when she sees her mommy again." Tom nodded at him so Patrick reluctantly stood up. "They are going to do the CT scan so I am going to go in the hallway and wait for them to get done, maybe call everyone to let them know you are awake."

Patrick leaned over and gently kissed Robin. "I love you, beyond reason."

"I love you too."

Patrick walked out into the hall and sat down in a chair. He pulled out the phone and was getting ready to make the calls when the events of the day finally hit him and he finally began crying, releasing all the tension of the day. He had been crying for only a moment when he felt an arm wrap around him. "Go ahead Patrick, I think you've earned this."

Patrick looked up and smiled at the woman next to him. "Laura? What are you doing here?"

"Lucky called me and told me what was going on. I thought you might need a friend and I wanted to check on my favorite doctor – no offense." Laura smiled at him.

"None taken – she's my favorite doctor too." Patrick knew that Laura and Robin had a special connection and had been there for each other through many tough times. "She's awake."

"That's good." Laura gave him a motherly hug and then took his hands in hers. "I have known that girl almost her entire life and I know one thing for certain – Robin is a fighter. She is going to get through this and you will be together as a family again."

Patrick smiled at her. "You're right – she is a fighter. She fought for me, for Emma, for our family." Tears filled his eyes again and he looked at the door to Robin's room.

Realizing that he needed to think about positive things, Laura decided it was time to tell him some stories about Robin from when she was younger. "Hey - did Robin ever tell you about the time…"

Tom was happy to see Laura and Patrick deep in conversation when he walked up to them a little less than an hour later – anything to keep Patrick's mind off of Robin's exam. "She told me that she helped with Justus's campaign but I had no idea she was that involved."

Laura nodded. "I think it helped keep her mind off of things after Stone died. You know – busy work." Laura saw Tom approaching and stood up. "How is she?"

Patrick looked at Tom. "Can you tell us?"

"Yes, Robin asked me to give you an update. She has a concussion and a few bumps and bruises but nothing significant. We administered some acetaminophen with codeine and that has helped with the headache." Tom watched Patrick carefully and then continued. "We also discovered trace amounts of Mescaline and Secobarbital."

"That bastard!" Patrick stood up and began pacing the floor. "Her viral load?"

"Everything looks good. We're going to keep her here a few days to make sure but I see no reason why she can't be home with you and Emma in just a couple of days." Tom was happy to give Patrick some good news. "But for now, why don't you keep her company in her room."

"Thank you Tom." Patrick looked at Laura. "Would you like to come with me to see your favorite doctor?"

Laura smiled at him, relieved that Robin was okay. "I'd loved to. Lead the way Dr. Drake."